IIM-Lucknow to Introduce a First-of-its-kind PG Diploma Course on Sustainable Management

The Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow is up to launch a new two-year Postgraduate Diploma Course in Sustainable Management (PGP-SM) late this year, 2013. This first-of-its-kind Program will be taught at IIM-L's campus at Noida under the charge of Prof Susheel Kumar, who presently heads the institute's Centre for Business Sustainability.
The spokesperson of the institute revealed that the admissions to the course will start, alongside the remaining PG Programs, only after the declaration of CAT 2013 results. Students who want to apply for the course would have to write a separate statement of purpose explaining clearly why they are opting for the course. The fee structure for PGP-SM will be out by the end of the month, though it is expected to be in line with the fees of existing courses.
According to the official release issued by the institute 18 September 2013, this is the first time any IIM has launched a course in Sustainability Management. It further stated that business paradigm in India has changed drastically in the last two decades, and now the focus is on managing environmental degradation, global warming, climate change and socio-economic implications of increasing corporate power.
The decision to launch this course was taken keeping in mind that most Management institutes in India have been criticized for not contributing enough to the field of business and environment sustainability.  
Admission to this full-time residential Program will made on the basis of students’ CAT scores, group discussion and personal interview. Offering just 45 seats, this program will primarily focus on environmental, social and economic sustainability aspects, change management preparation, critical perspectives on policy and institutions, cross-sector collaborations and creating systemic linkages between environmental, social and economic issues.
As per the official release, the objective of this course is to make PGP-SM graduates able to think in a holistic way about different facets of sustainability challenges existing in the business environment. Under this program, students would be equipped with management and leadership skills to formulate and solve problems at the appropriate scale. PGP-SM graduates will be able to recognize the interconnectedness of economic performance of businesses with social and environmental systems.